ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS 187
His Dog is Dead
OMATE of man ! Blest being ! You that shared
Your master's hunger and his meals as well!
You that in days of old in pilgrimage fared
With young Tobias and the angel Rafael.
Servant that loved me with a love intense.
As saints love God, my great exemplar be !
The mystery of your deep intelligence
Dwells in a guiltless, glad eternity.
Dear Lord ! If You should grant me by Your grace
To see You face to face in heaven, O then
Grant that a poor dog looJc into the face
Of him who was his god here among men /
Francis Jammes
Now Came Still Evening On
Now came still Evening on, and Twilight grey
Had in her sober livery all things clad . . .
When Adam thus to Eve : Fair consort, the hour
Of night, and all things now retired to rest,
Mind us of like repose ; since God hath set
Labour and rest, as day and night, to men
Successive, and the timely dew of sleep,
Now falling with soft slumberous weight, inclines
Our eyelids . . . Night bids us rest.
To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty adorned :
My author and disposer, what thou bidd'st
Unargued I obey. So God ordains :
God is thy law, thou mine : to know no more
Is woman's happiest knowledge, and her praise.
With thee conversing I forget all time*
All seasons, and their change ; all please alike.
Sweet is the breath of Morn, her rising sweet,
With charm of earliest birds ; pleasant the Sun,
When first on this delightful land he spreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flowers
Glistering with dew ; fragrant the fertile Earth
After soft showers ; and sweet the coming-on
Of grateful Evening mild ; then silent Night,
With this her solemn bird, and this fair Moon,
And these the gems of Heaven, her starry train 2
But neither breath of Morn, when, she ascends
With charm of earliest birds j nor rising Sun
On this delightful land ; nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glistering with dew j nor fragrance after showers ;
Nor grateful Evening mild ; nor silent night.